Rights Centre and Hosted Buyers Generate 5,300 Business Meetings
Liber 2026 Concludes a High-Activity Edition Marked by Rights Trading
Liber 2026 has closed its 44th edition in Barcelona, further strengthening its position as the leading business platform for the international expansion of Spanish-language publishing. Strong commercial activity across the exhibition floor, the success of the Rights Centre and more than 5,300 professional meetings arranged through its internationalisation programmes have once again demonstrated the fair’s ability to boost export sales and open up new business opportunities for the publishing sector, Spain’s leading cultural industry.
Liber 2026 met its attendance targets, welcoming 9,100 trade visitors to Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. This year’s event brought together nearly 250 exhibitors from 19 countries, who highlighted the high quality of business contacts and the dynamism of the fair’s professional networking and knowledge spaces.
One of the main hubs of activity was the Rights Centre, which further consolidated its role as a key tool for the internationalisation of the publishing industry. The space hosted around 800 pre-scheduled meetings between publishers, literary agents and rights buyers. In addition, a further 4,500 business meetings were generated through the internationalisation programmes organised by the Spanish Publishers Association (FGEE) in collaboration with a range of institutions and public bodies. These initiatives brought buyers, distributors, librarians, book professionals and publishing agents from 70 countries to Barcelona.
According to Manuel González, President of the FGEE and Chairman of Liber’s Organising Committee: “Liber’s strength is measured not only by the number of meetings held or agreements signed, but also by its ability to bring together the entire book ecosystem and foster shared knowledge. Once again, the fair has demonstrated that the Spanish publishing industry is dynamic, innovative and firmly committed to international markets.”
A Forum for the Publishing Industry
Beyond its commercial dimension, Liber reaffirmed its role as a platform for analysis and debate among book professionals. More than one hundred activities held within the Professional Programme and the Ágora Forum attracted around 3,000 participants.
Artificial intelligence, intellectual property management and strategies for engaging new readers were among the topics that generated the greatest interest. Sessions also explored innovation, audiobooks, emerging business models and access to international markets.
Last night, the FGEE also presented the Liber Awards 2026 at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. This year’s recipients included Cuban writer Leonardo Padura, publisher Xosé Ballesteros of Kalandraka, the cultural supplement ABC Cultural, Casa Anita bookshop in Barcelona, the Regional Library of Murcia, and the television series Anatomía de un instante.
Liber 2026 was sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Culture, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council, and the Spanish Reprographic Rights Centre (CEDRO). Collaborating organisations included Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), the Catalan Publishers Guild and the Catalan Language Publishers Association.
The next edition of Liber will take place in Madrid from 21 to 23 September 2027.
Barcelona, 1 October 2026
Image gallery Available here
Maria Dolores Herranz
Tel. +34 93 233 2541
[email protected]